Armed homeowner ends Madison crime wave

A crime rampage in Madison by two men — one of whom allegedly held a gun to the head of a 90-year-old woman during a home invasion — ended when an armed homeowner confronted the duo in his garage, police said Wednesday.

One of the men fled and was quickly captured by police, while the other was disarmed and held at gunpoint by the homeowner until officers arrived, according to a Madison Police Department incident report.

According to the report:

About 6:30 a.m. Friday the men forced their way into the home of the 90-year-old woman on S. Eau Claire Ave., pointed a gun at her and demanded money. When the woman tried to call for help, one of the men ripped her phone from a wall before both men fled with jewelry.

About an hour later a 22-year-old woman returned to her home in the 600 block of Anthony Lane and found a burglar in her house and a car in her driveway. When she ran to a neighbor's home to call police, the suspected burglars drove off with electronics and cash. An expensive watch taken from the 90-year-old woman was left in the driveway.

Then about 10 a.m., a 30-year-old woman who called police to report a garage break-in in the 7100 block of Gladstone Drive said her husband had gone to investigate and that she heard a gunshot.

Police later learned that the 35-year-old husband confronted two burglars, one of whom fled while the other struggled with the homeowner. After a round was discharged from the homeowner's gun, the burglar dropped his gun and was detained by the man until police arrived.

About the same time police arrested the second man during a traffic stop in which items connected to several burglaries were recovered.

Police will seek charges of armed robbery, armed burglary, burglary and false imprisonment against the two men, ages 19 and 20, according to the report.

About Jesse Garza

Jesse Garza is a general assignment reporter whose coverage areas include crime and breaking news.